SCM, a construction company working on a housing development in Kocksoord, has dismissed claims made by striking workers who downed tools last week.
The workers downed tools and aired their grievances in a memorandum in which they claim they have been subjected to unfair labour practices during the project.
They have also claimed that the conditions under which they work are poor. In the memorandum, workers stated that there is no proper employment structure, and went on to claim that there are some employees who have not been paid for three months.
Roselina Kutwane, who has worked for the company for four months, said, “Since I started working here, there have not been any clean toilets. We have also complained about the safety of this project to the management, but all our complaints were disregarded”.
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Another employee who has been on the project for three months, Nono Mokoena, said management’s treatment of the employees is bad.
“You will get no response if you raise an issue, they will ignore you,” Mokoena said.
Among the many grievances in the memorandum, workers complained that there is no payment to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), illegal immigrants are hired, employees are treated unlawfully by management, and there is a lack of materials, with substandard material being used.
In response to some of the allegations, Sihle Lande, an SCM director said, “We have their best interests at heart, hence we adhere to government regulations in terms of how we conduct ourselves in our employer and employee relations.”
Asked if the project is complying with safety regulations, Lande said, “We comply with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993, which includes us observing that among many things the conditions of employment are conducive for them to perform their duties as specified on their confidential contracts. The project is registered with the Labour Department as per the OHS Act.”
Commenting on claims that people are being unfairly dismissed, Lande said since the project started, no one had been unfairly dismissed. The company also rubbished claims that employees work under poor condition without clean toilets.
“As and when the project develops, the demand will increase and we shall comply as expected by the OHS Act.”
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